How to Plan Your Day the Time Management Way
Managing
time is not that hard even though it may seem hard to find the time you need to
do everything. Consider doing a few key things instead of trying to do
everything by using time management tips, such as writing things down,
prioritizing tasks, reviewing appointments, blocking out time for getting
things done, and remaining flexible in your plans.
Instructions
Instructions
1.
o 1
Write
down everything you need to do in the same tool. Great time managers always
keep a "to do" list handy for jotting down action items, work tasks,
project activities, and ideas they come to mind. The list of tasks should be
kept in a convenient location like a notebook, a planner system, or in an
electronic system. If you always keep adding to your list, you will know what
needs to be done because you can find the list whenever you start to plan what
to do each day.
o 2
Review
your tasks and prioritize the items at the same time each day. This can be done
in the morning of the date you plan to work on the items or in the evening of
the day before for tomorrow's items. Determine priorities for each item. Such
as high or must do items for the day, medium level items or everyday business
,
and low priority things that can be put off until another time.
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o 3
Look
at your list of appointments for the day and determine which are important to
do on this day. Plan what you need for the important appointments you need to
keep, so you will have everything ready before the appointment starts as this
will save time during the appointment. Be sure to include paper and pen for
taking notes or writing down actions. Then determine what you need to do with
appointments you can not keep, such as canceling a lunch date or sending a
substitute to a meeting.
o 4
Schedule
blocks of time in your day to work on your to do list. Schedule high priority
items at your peak time, when you are typically most attentive and alert. Then
schedule the medium priority items in the remaining time or after appointments.
Whenever possible, schedule similar items and errands all in the same time
block. For instance plan to make all outgoing calls in the same hour or read
and respond to emails during two small blocks of time each day. Concentrating
the time spent on the phone or with email, will actually reduce the
interruptions they usually cause when working on other key items that have been
blocked for your peak periods.
o 5
Allow
for flexibility in your schedule. In other words, don't over schedule yourself.
In an eight hour time period, you should only plan for 6 hours of medium to
high-priority work and appointments. This way your plan is not greatly
disrupted if an emergency or crisis situation comes up that you must handle. If
little comes up during the flex time, then you can work on something else on
your to do list that was not part of the original plan or give yourself a few
minutes of down time to unwind and reduce stress or use the time to think
creatively.